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Is air conditioning being banned in the UK?

Updated 23 October 2026 · SEO Dons Editorial

What has actually been restricted, and from when?

The restrictions are narrow and specific. None bans air conditioning as a service.

RuleWhat it coversDate and status
Movable air conditioningNew units using HFCs with a GWP above 150Banned now
Small single split systemsNew systems under 3kg of refrigerant with a GWP above 750; larger systems such as chillers are among the exceptionsFrom 2025
Refilling with virgin gasSystems holding 40 tonnes of CO2 equivalent or more, gas with a GWP above 2,500In force; reclaimed gas allowed until 2030
Ozone-depleting substancesUse in new equipment or to service existing equipmentIn force
HFC supply capQuantity of HFC placed on the market24% step from 1 January 2027, unchanged by Defra in 2026

The bans table on GOV.UK is headed "F gases banned in new products", so it governs what can be placed on the market, not what is already installed. The refill ban bites on large refrigeration plant far more than on comfort cooling, and the ozone-depleting rule is the one behind older R22 systems.

The 750 line is easiest to see with numbers from GOV.UK's list of F gases. R32 has a GWP of 675, below the line, while a gas such as R410A at 2,088 is above it. A new small single split therefore has to use a lower-GWP gas than the older default. What changed is which gas a new small unit uses, not whether it can be bought. GWP itself is the measure of how much a gas contributes to global warming relative to carbon dioxide.

What must owners of existing systems do?

GOV.UK states that an owner of equipment containing ozone-depleting substances can still use it as long as it is not leaking. For F gas equipment, the duties are about care rather than removal:

  • Have leak checks done at the frequency set by the CO2 equivalent of the charge, as the F-gas regulations guide explains.
  • Use certified companies, which the certificate check shows how to verify.
  • Keep records for 5 years where the equipment holds F gas equivalent to 5 tonnes of CO2 or more, covering the gas installed and added and the leak-check results.
  • Repair leaks, because GOV.UK says it is breaking the law not to have the right checks or to leave leaks unfixed.

Nothing in these pages sets a date by which working equipment must be removed. What changes over time is the cost and availability of some gases, which is a replacement-planning question rather than a legal deadline.

Does the 2027 phasedown ban anything?

No. The phasedown caps the amount of HFC that suppliers can place on the market. Defra consulted in 2025 on a faster schedule and said on 15 May 2026 that it will not legislate in 2026 to change the steps from 1 January 2027. The proposal it consulted on, an almost full phase-out of HFCs by 2048, is a proposal, not law. The 2026-27 changes page sets out the dates, and Defra noted that many manufacturers already offer units using alternative gases. The R290 page covers one such option.

GOV.UK describes the long-term direction as a 79% cut in HFCs by 2030 from the 2009 to 2012 average. That is a cut in supply, and it is why gas prices and availability, not legality, drive most replacement decisions.

Do planning or building rules ban it instead?

Not as a blanket rule either, though the question comes up for a different reason. On 25 June 2026 the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said media coverage suggesting that air conditioning is banned in homes was incorrect, and that it can be installed in both existing and new homes. That statement is about homes, and it adds that there is no blanket rule and people should check with their local council.

In London, the draft London Plan's heat risk policy asks major developments to show how passive design is maximised and the need for active cooling minimised. Its supporting text says the policy "does not prevent the use of air conditioning in new buildings". It is a draft: the consultation closed on 15 October 2026, with examination in public listed for 2027 and adoption in early 2028. The cooling hierarchy page and the planning permission page cover those routes.

Does Northern Ireland follow the same rules?

No. GOV.UK describes Northern Ireland as part of the EU's fluorinated gas system, and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs says the EU's new F-gas law, which came into operation on 11 March 2024, applies directly there. This page covers England, Scotland and Wales.

What should an owner do now?

Keep the plant maintained and the records current, then plan air conditioning replacement around the end of the equipment's life, not around a rumour. Readers who want quotes can send an enquiry through the site's form.

Sources

Common questions

Will an older system have to be removed?

GOV.UK sets no removal date for working equipment. Systems on R410A or R407C must be leak checked and serviced by certified companies. An R22 system can be used while it is not leaking, but cannot be serviced with R22.

Can new air conditioning still be installed in 2026?

Yes. The bans cover particular products, such as movable units with high-GWP HFCs and small single splits above GWP 750, and the exceptions include larger systems. MHCLG has also said air conditioning units are not banned in homes.

Why do some articles talk about an F-gas ban?

Several real restrictions exist, on new movable units, small splits, refilling and ozone-depleting gases, and the HFC phasedown affects supply. Headlines often merge them into one ban, which none of them is.

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